We Can Do Hard Things

The most shocking thing about the Cornell and LSU sexual assault cases? That Cornell and LSU delivered more substantial results to those survivors than that afforded to 95% of college women brave enough to report their assaults to Universities.   So what actually happens when a student reports a sexual assault to their university? Amanda sits down with sociologist and On the Wrong Side author Dr. Nicole Bedera—the researcher who spent a year embedded inside a university Title IX system—to pull back the curtain on the process we tell our kids to trust. They reveal: - How the vast majority of sexual assault reports lead to absolutely nothing; - The crucial difference between filing a report and a formal complaint; - The profound conflict of interest at the heart of a system run by the same institution whose reputation, liability, and finances are threatened by what it uncovers;  - What specific questions we should ask to actually find out if a college is a safer place to send our child; and - Most importantly: If your child calls from college and tells you they have been sexually assaulted, who should you to talk to first, what specific things should you do, and what should you not do? This episode is for every parent with a child in college, every student heading there, and  anyone who cares about keeping our children safe. About Nicole Bedera, Ph.D.: Nicole Bedera, Ph.D. is a sociologist and author of the book On the Wrong Side: How Universities Protect Perpetrators and Betray Survivors of Sexual Violence. Her research broadly focuses on how our social structures contribute to survivors’ trauma and make sexual violence more likely to occur in the future. Her work has been featured in many popular media outlets, including The New York Times, NPR, Time Magazine, and Teen Vogue. Nicole puts her work into practice as an affiliated educator at the Center for Institutional Courage, as a co-founder of Beyond Compliance Consulting, and as a co-founder of the nonprofit The Survivor Alumni Network.  Read more from Nicole Bedera: https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/03/daughter-advice-sexual-assault-college.html Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

Stefanie Fox, Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace, joins Glennon, Abby, and Amanda for an urgent, eye-opening conversation about the fight for Palestinian freedom, the powerful forces keeping America complicit, and what each of us can do to make a difference.  Glennon also shares the story behind her recent arrest outside the United Nations and the unexpected hope she's found in taking action. - Why America continues to fund and arm Israel—and who profits. - What Zionism and anti-Zionism mean, and how to recognize and fight antisemitism. - How political pressure, money, and fear are used to silence support for Palestine. - How to move beyond outrage and despair into meaningful, collective action. More about Jewish Voice for Peace:  https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/ About Stefanie:  Stefanie Fox is the Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), a grassroots membership organization that organizes and mobilizes hundreds of thousands of Jews into solidarity with the Palestinian freedom struggle and a vision of Judaism beyond Zionism. Stefanie joined JVP in 2009 as the organization’s first National Organizer (when the organization had six chapters and a few hundred members) and played multiple roles as part of the team that grew the organization into one of the largest progressive Jewish organizations in the world. Prior to JVP, Stefanie came up as a grassroots organizer, educator, and public health practitioner inside the global AIDS movement of the early 2000s, and spent about a decade in local and issue-based community organizing toward racial and economic justice before joining JVP full-time.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

If you don’t feel like yourself lately, it might not be stress, aging, or “all in your head.” Dr. Rachel Rubin tells us what every woman deserves to know about perimenopause, menopause, and the hormones that can affect everything from our sleep and mood to our brains, bodies, relationships, and sex lives. - The surprising signs of perimenopause—and how early they can start - Why a “normal” hormone test doesn’t mean you’re not in perimenopause - What doctors were never taught about menopause - The truth about HRT—and why generations of women were taught to fear hormones - Estrogen, progesterone & testosterone: what each actually does - How to advocate for the care you need to feel like yourself again Find more information at https://www.rachelrubinmd.com/ and sign up for Dr. Rubin’s newsletter here.  About Dr. Rubin:  Dr. Rachel Rubin is a board-certified urologist and sexual medicine specialist who is changing the way we talk about menopause, hormones, and sexual health — especially the things women have historically been told to accept, endure, or simply stop talking about. She practices in the Washington, D.C., area as well as Los Angeles and is an Assistant Professor of Urology at Georgetown University. A nationally recognized educator, researcher, and advocate, Dr. Rubin has become a leading voice for greater awareness and access to treatments like vaginal estrogen and testosterone use in menopausal women. She is known for making complicated science understandable — and beloved for telling the truth about women’s health, which medicine has too often failed to say. Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

This life-saving conversation is for anyone who has—or loves someone who has—breasts. Amanda shares what to know about breast density, the screenings you actually need (not just what’s offered), and how self-advocacy helped lead to her own breast cancer diagnosis—and helped save the lives of Pod Squaders who listened to our episodes. Then, Amanda’s renowned surgeon, Dr. Lucy M. De La Cruz, walks us through the choices you may face after a breast cancer diagnosis—including the options you may not even know are options.  For more on Amanda’s Breast Cancer journey:  - Amanda's Diagnosis and What's Next (Part 1) - Amanda’s Diagnosis and What’s Next (Part 2) - Amanda Returns Post Surgery: Here’s What She Wants You to Know  - What Amanda’s Learned About Life, Love & Community (Post Surgery Pt 2)  - Early Detection, Mammograms & Breast Cancer Care with Dr. Rachel Brem  - Expert Advice on Genetic Testing, Cancer Prevention & Care Disparities with Dr. Rachel Brem  About Dr. De La Cruz:  Dr. Lucy M. De La Cruz is an internationally recognized breast surgical oncologist and the youngest Latina Chief of Breast Surgery in an academic institution in the United States. She serves as Chief of Breast Surgery and Director of the Betty Lou Ourisman Breast Health Center at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, a nationally ranked center of excellence in breast cancer care. Dr. De La Cruz specializes in nipple-sparing mastectomies with structural preservation and resensation, with a focus on highly specialized single-stage implant reconstruction. Patients describe her not only as a world-class surgeon, but as a fierce advocate and mentor—especially for women navigating the complexities of diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

Six minutes on a New York City subway became a Rorschach test for America. Amanda invites Anand Giridharadas back to look beyond the certainty surrounding the Jordan Neely and Daniel Penny case—and toward an uncomfortable truth: We may not be as divided as we think. Across the political spectrum, Americans are crying out with the same fear: No one is coming. We’re on our own. Amanda and Anand dig into how that shared sense of abandonment can push us toward vigilantism, what we lose when we reduce complicated human beings to heroes and villains, and why reclaiming curiosity, complexity, and each other’s humanity might be essential to democracy. About Anand: You know Anand Giridharadas from our WHY ARE BILLIONAIRES?!? episode. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Persuaders, the international bestseller Winners Take All, The True American, and India Calling. A foreign correspondent and columnist for The New York Times for more than a decade, he is an on-air political analyst for MSNBC, and publisher of the newsletter The Ink. Today we dive into Anand’s spellbinding book, out today – MAN IN THE MIRROR – reporting on Jordan Neely's life and death, Daniel Penny's life and trial, and the way six minutes on the NYC subway holds a mirror to the city and the nation. Don't miss Anand's Man in the Mirror docuseries, too.   Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

Six weeks from the midterm elections, New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur and political leader, Stacey Abrams is here with a clear message: You don’t have to do everything—but you do have to do something.  Leader Abrams breaks down where we are in the fight for democracy, what’s at stake in this election, and exactly how each of us can use our power right now.  - The 10 steps to authoritarianism—and the 10 steps to fight back - What to do now to make sure your vote is cast and counted - Why the midterms are only the beginning—and what we must do the day after - Abrams’ plan for anyone who has just two hours a week to give - Why we need to stop asking “Is there hope?” and start asking: “Did I do hope today?” Learn more about:  10 Steps Campaign: https://10stepscampaign.org/ Stacey Abrams’ New Book: Coded Justice About Stacey Abrams: STACEY ABRAMS is a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur and political leader. She served as Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives, and she was the first Black woman to become gubernatorial nominee for a major party in United States history. Abrams has devoted her career to democracy protection, voting rights, and effective public policy. She is the founder of Fair Fight, Fair Count and the American Pride Rises Network and is the lead organizer of the 10 Steps Campaign, a nationwide mobilization and education effort against competitive authoritarianism.  Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

What if the secret to moving forward is getting better at letting go of what just happened? Glennon, Abby, and Amanda catch up on empty nesting, parenting, sports, midlife, and the stories we tell ourselves when we mess up—and discover that golf may, unfortunately, be a metaphor for life. - Why we waste so much energy trying to explain or undo our mistakes - Glennon and Abby’s empty-nest question: What do people actually do between dinner and bedtime? - Abby on the skill of feeling your anger, releasing it, and saying: “Okay, next” - The parenting lesson that brought Glennon to tears: “Be the one w Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠

Sometimes the hardest thing isn't working harder—it's remembering how to be alive. After Abby and Glennon stage a Relaxation Intervention for Amanda (which immediately goes off the rails), the conversation becomes something much deeper: why so many of us struggle to rest, why we've negotiated away our playful selves in the name of responsibility, and how over-functioning can keep us from fully living. - Why so many of us don't know how to relax—and what that's really about - How over-functioning and perfectionism disconnect us from ourselves - The surprising moments that bring us back to joy, play, and connection - Why life isn't waiting on the other side of your to-do list - A simple "proof of life" practice to help you feel more human Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠